Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-12-29
THE TARIFF QUESTION.
Views of Congressman &c orrow as to Its
Influence Upon California Products.

Views of Congressman &c orrow as TO Its
Influence Upon California Products.
Ina published interview with Congress
man Morrow, that gentleman sums up the
situation as to the tariff question in its rela-
ton to California as follows:
TT is understood that the Pacific coast is
not to have a member of the Committee on
WAYS and Means, although the elevation
to the Senate of Hiscock, who was men,
Der of the committee and the revision of
the personnel of. the committee gave the
Speaker an opportunity to favor our sec
ton in this respect. if he had been so dis
posed. The matter has been brought to
his attention, the interest of the Pacific
coast in the revision Of the tariff explained,
and the selection of a member left TO him,
but it seems we are not to have voice in
that committee. This is another disad
vantage we will labor under in the coming
controversy, which will rather intensity
than otherwise the interest OF our people in
the course taken by Congress in the treat
ment of the claims put forward in behalf of
our manufactures and productions.
" You have asked me to state the extent
our industries on the Pacific coast are af-
fec:ed by the present tariff and the result
to be expected from removal of the tariff
or a reduction in rates, as proposed by the
President This is a difficult question to
answer. and perhaps cannot be answered
correctly at this time, but enough is known
TO say that many of cur important indus
tries would be swept out OF existence. /
have mentioned some of our productions
that have grown to large proportions, con-
corning which it is claimed that they could
not be continued in competition with free
importations from abroad. There are
doubtless others in the same condition.
Take, for instance, canned fruit, on which
there is q duty of 20 per cent. ad valorem,
when preserved in their own juice, or 80
per cent. when preserved with sugar >
syrup. The duty collected On the fir ST
named article amounted to $35, 900 las
year, and on the latter S19ee0. Here 4gail
| we have a small revenue, renderir ~ tn
| duty obnoxious to the system prop Ised b
| the President, but remove the duty and tn
| importations from Germany, Ere .nce an
! italy would probably drive our goods on
| of the market. AS it is, foreiglI goods {
this character valued at $4,000 found
market in this country last year notwith
anding the tariff. The principal imports
tons were from Italy, 1877 600; Germany
$155, 00e, and France, S135 900.
THE objection is urged that duty O.
fruits is tax levied on the necessaries {
| lklt W VIC litS III lllo ~ DlSC
this productien on the free list, but b
ignores the fact that our growing produC
ton IN the West is lessening the cost t
consumers faster than can possibly be az
complished by the remission of the duty I
the importer, and besides it is not certai
that removal of the duty would lessen III
prices. Look at coffee, placed on the fire.
list in 1872, and increasing in cost to th
consumer ever since. The value of this in
portation last year was $50 600, 900, an il
crease of $l3, 100000 over the year previou
This is explained by the Chief of til
Bureau of Statistics as follows; The il
crease in the value of coffee was cause
rather by the enhanced price of this con
modify than by increased consumption
the average import price having advance
from I! cents per pound in 1886 to 10
cents per pound in 1897
1T is well-established principle of con
merce that when we place ourselves in til
hands of the foreign importer we mu
abide his decisions as to the price we sha
pay for bis goods. Thus are the mani
facturers of the country called upon to su
render something tor the public good as
grateful recognition of advantages alread
afforded As the President says, tn
means simply that the laboring classt
must submit TO q reduction of their wag
! III competition with foreign labor, and G
the Pacific coast it is a summons to ope
our ports not only to the productions
cheap labor in Europe, but to the sti
cheaper labor of China. If the tariff is
be reduced the Chinese question will b
come more serious problem than eve
, We may finally succeed in excluding tt
Cinnamon from our territory, but he wi
take home with him knowledge of mo
of our manufacturing industries, and VIII
is to hinder him from sending to US h
manufactured products il the barrier of
protective tariff is to be removed. TIL
will surely be the result, if the policy of r
duction is 10 prevail. Our merchants al
laboring people will not, l am sure quiet
submit 10 any such proposition. The su
plus revenues can be reduced without d
stroying our industries"